Ransomed for Good Conduct (1Peter 1: 17-21)

RANSOMED FOR GOOD CONDUCT (1Peter 1: 17-21):

In the previous verses, we could see that Peter reminds the scattered believers being pure and upright in their conduct as God is holy. Though they are sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, there were always times that they couldn’t endure and stand firm in their commitment due to the sinful nature. Every believer has a right of inheritance in God to call Him father. Peter gives another condition to have good conduct, being thoughtful in all the deeds. If the believers ought to call God as the father, believers need to have the same characteristics that were inherited from God. God is all-loving that He had offered Salvation for all without any partiality. At the same time, we need to be aware that God is all righteous that He will judge everyone, even those who had accepted Him, according to all the deeds. So, it is not an obligation but a commandment for every one of the believers to conduct themselves with fear throughout the time till expatriate. The fear needn’t just be because God is a righteous judge who will not bear sinfulness but it can be because God is much jealous and sorrowful when his beloved children don’t conduct themselves in a way they need to be.

All the believers are ransomed from the vast sinfulness and guilt which are very futile, inherited from the ways of the forefathers who breached the bridge of relationship between God and them. The ransom is not by paying some worldly treasures such as silver or gold as it was used to be while relieving some slaves in the older periods of time. Even if God had done that, it will be unidirectional and it could only be a physical redemption. But God wanted human beings to realize their state and need of a savior who could heal all their physical and mental pains, leading to a joyful and peaceful life without guilt and shame. So, God by His eternal purpose redeemed and gave a ransom with the blood of Jesus Christ who was very precious without any blame and guilt. Like a lamp slaughtered as a sacrifice for the guilt of humans during the older periods, Jesus shed His blood as a sacrifice.

God by his foreknowledge had an eternal purpose for human beings since before the creation of the world. Hence Jesus was also foreknown before the foundation of the world, and God had his own time for the manifestation and incarnation of Jesus Christ for the redemption of mankind. It is mysterious for most of us, still, it was all needed and God is all righteous that He has a plan and purpose behind it. Peter says that Jesus was made manifest considering that the period of their living was the last time and Jesus came for the sake of the people during that period. Through Jesus Christ, the recipients of Peter had become believers in God. God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him all the Glory that he deserves in his divinity and thereby believers’ faith and hope are strengthened in God.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection

1.      What is the quality of God the Father as a Judge?

2.      How do we need to conduct ourselves, when we call God as Father?

3.      From what, the believers are ransomed?

4.      How believers are ransomed?

5.      Why the blood of Christ is precious?

6.      What do you mean by ‘Foreknown’?

7.      When Christ was being known and when he was made manifest?

8.      What was the reason for the believers to have faith and hope in God?

9.      Does God have every right upon human beings, to act anyway? How do you think He executes it?

10.  What are we supposed to be as believers of God?